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If charity is in his heart, most certainly music is in Jimenez's blood. It was his destiny — just as it was for his famous, Grammy-winning brother, Flaco Jimenez.

“Automatically, it was there,” said Jimenez. “It wasn't easy. I had to work hard to do what I am doing, to be a musician. It was through the family, my father, Flaco. What else can I say, it comes from the blood.

“It comes through the family tradition, my grandfather, mi papá, Flaco, myself. It goes on like that.”

Jimenez recently finished his latest home studio album, mischievously titled “Santiago — Still Kicking.” As always, he keeps the faith with his father's music and two-row button accordion sound (Jimenez is also featured on a new Chris Rybak album, “The Two Kings of Accordion”).

Speaking of Flaco, the famously estranged brothers have reconciled of late and will reunite onstage for the first time in decades at the Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio at that event's Sunday finale at Rosedale Park on May 20.

What would his father think of such a spine-tingling reunion?

“I'm sure he would be very, very proud,” said Jimenez. Both Flaco and Santiago played in their dad's conjunto group.

“But it's not only my dad, but the whole community, the people that have known me and Flaco for many, many years. They haven't seen us play together for a while,” Jimenez said.

“For them, it's something very special. We're brothers and we love each other. Family situations, it doesn't matter. We still have to love each other. We both need each other. Flaco is (the greatest). Things don't last too long. I take my hat off to Flaco. There's a lot of conjuntos pesados. But they know Flaco in No. 1.”

Jimenez speaks with the authority of a musical historian and takes pride keeping rare photos, posters and vinyl records organized at his Viendo Street home. He loves it.

“I wake up with music and I go to sleep with music. I just can't be without music.”